Peters



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' J. B. GULVER.

v STEAM GENERATOR.

No. 372,360. Patented Nov. 1, 1887.

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6 Sheets Shgt'B.

(No Model.)

J. E.CULVER.

STEAM GENERATOR.

Patented Nov. 1, 1887.

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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. E. GULVER.

I STEAM GENERATOR. No. 372,360 Patented Nov. 1, 1887.

6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

J. E. GULVER. STEAM GENERATOR.

Patented Nov. 1,1887.

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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet a. J. E. OULVER.

STEAM GENERATOR.

. Patented Nov. 1, 1887.

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UNIT D STATES JOSEPH E. (JULVER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

STEAM-GENERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,360, dated November 1, 1887.

' Application filed January 2'1, 1887. Serial No. 225,619. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrn E. CULVER, M. D., of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in SteanrGenerators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to-that class of steamgenerators in which the products of combustion from afurnace are passed first into'contact with heating-surfaces which are at or near the surface of the water, thereby subjecting the body of water in the generator to the greatest heat near its surface and where steam will be most easily liberated from the water, and cansing the products of combustion, as they lose their heat and pass downward, to come into contact with heating-surfaces for imparting heat to a body of water of gradually-decreasing temperature toward the lower part of the generator. I employ in such a generator'gencrater sections each of which comprises a lower water-chamber and a group of tubes having an upward direction therefrom; and in most of the examples of my invention hereinafter shown and described each group of tubes is connected at the upper ends with an upper water and steam chamber, and these several water and steam chambers are connected by branches with a steam-drum common to all of them. A casing surrounds the several generator-sections and the combustion-chamber of a furnace, and the upper part of the space within the casing communicates directly with the furnace, while at the lower end of the casing isan escapeopening connecting with the smoke-pipe. The furnace is preferably constructed with a hollow water-back, and I provide a water-supply and branches whereby feed-water is supplied to the lower chambers of the several generator-sections and to the water-back, and branches from the upper chambers of the several generator-sections and from the water-back communicate with the steamdrum.

The water-back may be composed of upright sections arranged side by side, each section having an inlet or feeding branch from the water-supply and communicating with the steam-drum which is common to the several steam-producing portions of the generator.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations of parts, which are hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a generator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section thereof upon about the plane indicated by the dotted line m :0, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a corresponding section upon about the plane indicated by the dotted line 9 y, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sectionscorresponding to Fig. 1 and illustratingslight modifications of my invention. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section which applies, except in one respect, to both Figs. 4 and 5, and is upon about the plane indicated by the dotted lines 2 z in said figures. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the end portions of a generator-section upon a larger scale,themiddle portions of the group of tubes comprised in the section being removed to reduce the height of the figure; and Fig. 8 is a vertical section corresponding to Figs. 1, 4, and 5 of a generator embodying certain features of my invention, but having a furnace which is not provided with a hollow water-back.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

I11 the generator shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the generator-sections each consist of an upper water and steam chamber, A, and lower chamber, B, and a group of tubes, 0, connecting said two chambers. These tubes may be arranged in close proximity to each other, and their ends may be threaded or otherwise secured in the upper and lower chambers, A B. A desirable construction for these generatorchambers is shown in Fig. 7. chamber, A, may consist of a section of pipe of proper size closed at its ends by heads A A here represented as made in the form of caps screwed upon the exterior of the pipesection, and the lower chamber, B, may have its top formed integral with it and may be closed at the lower end by a head, B, here represented as made in the form of a plug screwed into the body portion of the chamber. The tubes C are secured at their upper ends in the head A and at their lower ends in the integral top of the lower chamber, 13.

D' designates a water-supply pipe or feed, which is connected by branches (1 with the several lower waterchambers, B, and in these The upper branches may be arranged union-joints d, which provide for readily disconnecting each section of the generator from the feed or water supply pipe D for the purpose of repair or renewal of such generator-section.

E designates a steam-drum, which may be of cast or wrought metal, and which is arranged above the several gcneratorsections and connected with the upper chambers,A,by branches 0. In the branches 0 may be provided union-joints e, in order to enable each generatorsection to be readily disconnected from and connected with the steam-drum E, which is common to them.

Steam may be supplied from the drum E through a pipe, E, either for heating purposes or for power purposes.

F designates the tire-pot of a furnace,which is provided with the usual grate, f, and below which is the ash-pit F. This firepot may have feeding doorsf and perforationsf above said doors, for the admission of air above the fuel in the fire-pot, and the openings f may be controlled by a door or damper, f.

The ash-pit F may have a draft door or opening, f, and a door, f, for the removal of ashes.

The furnace or firepot is constructed with a hollow water-back, F composed of upright sections arranged in close proximity to each other, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to form a substantially closed wall, and these several sections F of the hollow water-back may be connected by branches (1 with the main water-supply D, and by branches d with upper steam and water chambers, A. These upper steam and water chambers may each consist of a section of pipe closed at the ends by heads I), and each connected by a branch, 0, in which may be a union-joint, with the common steamdrum E.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the several generator'sections A B G and the sections F of the watenback, together with the steam and water chambers A, with which they communicate, constitute the steam-producing portions of my generator.

It is now my intention to maintain a comparatively deep fire in the furnace or firepot F, and to first admit air below the grate and afterward above the grate through the openings f to produce slow and economical combustion.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the genererator is inclosed within a casing, H, and this casing may be either covered with non-conducting material or may be surrounded with a second casing, h, forming between the two a dead-air space, It, to prevent rapid radiation. The ash-pit F is separated by a wall,

f, from the remaining portions of the casing,

and such separation is continued by the hollow water-back F to the top of the furnace or fire-pot, and the space above the top of the water-back F forms an inlet-opening, 71

through which the furnace communicates with the portion of the casing which contains the several generator-sections A B O.

The upper and lower chambers, A B, of the generator-sections are here shown as substantially cylindric, and when arranged close to gether, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, they form between them spaces 0. The steam-drum E is arranged within the casing II, and is therefore subjected to the calorific influence of pro-' ducts of combustion escaping from the furnace, and a dry steam will therefore be produced.

The water in the generator may be maintained at about the level indicated by the dotted line 8 s, Fig. 1, and it will be seen that the productsof combustion entering the tube space of the casing H through the opening h" above the fire-pot F come in contact first with the heating-surfaces very near the water-level of the generator, and as they are cooled by contact with the heating-surfaces the products of combustion descend, imparting their heat to the body of water, which gradually decreases in temperature downward, and the products of combustion finally pass through the openings 1) between the lower water-chambers, B, and make their escape at the outlet-opening h", from which ascends the smoke-pipe h.

I have also represented, immediately below the upper chambers, A, a door, h as shown in Fig. 1, through which, when open, the tubespace within the casing H may have direct communication with the smoke-pipe h, and if this door is opened while kindling a fire the products of combustion may pass directly across from the top of the furnace or fire-pot F, and make their escape by an opening controlled by the door h directly into the smokepipe, thereby giving a better and more direct draft when the fire is first lighted, and avoiding the continued contact with the heatingsurfaces of smoke heavily charged with soot.

Turning, now, to the modifications of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and also in the horizontal section, Fig. 6, which applies, except in one particular, to both Figs. 4 and 5, it will be observed that the generators there shown differ but very little from the one above described.

In the generator shown in Figs. 4 and 6 the generator-sections A B G are arranged not only at the hack of the fire-pot or furnace F, but also at the sides thereof, as'best shown in Fig. 6, and the hollow water-back F of the furnace or fire-pot F is not composed of upright sections, as before described, but is made in one casting. The hollow water-back may be supplied with feed-water through branches (1 from a main feed-pipe, D, and it communicates by branches (1 with upper drums or collectors, A", which are arranged horizontally instead of vertically, like the upper chambers, A, in Fig. 1. These horizontal drums or collectors ICC in all other respects, excepting those pointed out, the generator shown in Figs. 4 and 6 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

In Fig. 5 the fire-pot F has a hollow waterback, F formed in a single casting, as described with reference to Figs. 4 and 6, and the branches (1", leading from the upper part of the hollow water back, communicate with an inclined drum or collector, A, which,by abranch, 6, provided with aunion joint, e, is connected with the main steam-drum E. In the example shown inFig. 5 the generator'seetions A B O are arranged only at the back of the furnace, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and are not arrangedarouml the sides of the furnace, as in Figs. 4 and 6. In other respects the generator shown in Fig. 5 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Turning, now, to Fig. 8, it will be observed that the generator there shown is very similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the principal difference being that in Fig. 8 the furnace orfire-pot F is unprovided with a hollow waterback, and may be formed or lined with slabs f, of soapstone or other refractory material. The products of combustion from this furnace F enter the casing H, which contains the several generator-sections A B C, at the inlet-opening h which is immediately below the upper chambers, A, of the generator-sections, and thence pass downward between and among the tubes 0, through the openings 1), between the lower water-chambers, B, and escape at the outlet-opening it through the smoke-pipe h.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.v The combination, with a number of generator-sections, each consisting of upper and lower chambers and a group 7 of tubes connecting said chambers, of a water-supply connected by branches with the several lower chambers and a steam drum connected by branches with the several upper chambers, a

furnace, and a casing inclosing the'generatorsections and the combustion-chamber of the furnace, the upperpart of the space within the casing communicating directly with the furnace and the-lower part thereof having an escape-opening to connect with thesmoke-pipe,

substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with a number of generator-sections, each consisting of substantially cylindric lower and upper chambers, B A, and a group of tubes, 0, connecting them, the chambers of the several sections affording between them openings, of a water-supply and branches, d, connected with the lower chambers, a steam-drum, E, and branches 6, connecting the upper chambers with the drum, a furnace, and a casing, H, inclosing the generator-sections and drum, the space within the casing communicating directly at the upper part with the furnace and having at the lower part an escape-opening to connect with the smoke-pipe,substantially as herein described.

The combination, with a number of generator-sections, each composed of upper and lower chambers and a group of tubes connecting them, of a water-supply connected with the lower chambers of the several sections, a steam-drum and branches connecting the upper chambers of the several sections therewith, a furnace, and a casing inclosing the generator-sections and steam-drum, the space within the casing communicating directly at the upper part with the furnace and having at the lower part an escape opening to connect with the sm'okepipe, substantially as herein described.

4. The combination, with a number of generator-sections, ea'eh composed of upper and lower chambers and a group of tubes con nccting said chambers, of a furnace having a hollow waterback, a water-supply connected by branches with the lower chambers of the generator-sections and with the water-back, a steam-drum connected with the upper ends of the generator-sections and a steam and water chamber with which the water-back is directly connected and through which it communicates with the steam-drum, and a casing inelosing the generator-sections, the upper part of the spaeewit-hin the casing communicating directly with the furnace and the lower end thereof having a suitable escape-opening to connect with the smoke-stack, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination, with ageuerator-furnace having a hollow water-back composed of upright sections arranged side by side, of a water-supply connected by branches with the several sections near their lower ends and a steam and water drum connected by branches with the upper ends of the sections, substantially as herein described.

J. E. CULVER.

WVitnesses:

O. HALL, FREDK. HAYNES. 

